After many false starts, EV manufacturers may be about to co-operate on fast charging

Porsche Mission E concept
Credit: Forbes

Tesla has had a long standing offer to allow other manufacturers access to its Supercharger network. Rumours of negotiations have surfaced from time-to-time, but nothing concrete.

Porsche announced its own charger to complement its Mission E electric car some time ago.

Now it has been revealed that:

● Porsche charging technology will be utilised by other companies in the Volkswagen family – no real surprises there

● development has involved other manufacturers
● chargers will be compatible with Tesla vehicles – with an adapter.

https://electrek.co/2016/10/03/porsches-ultra-fast-charging-infrastructure-for-the-mission-e-will-also-work-with-tesla-says-ceo/

This is the most concrete sign to-date of intention from any manufacturer (other than Tesla), to develop & share a fast charging standard. Advantages for manufacturers & the public are obvious. / battery electric vehicle BEV EV Porsche ultra fast-charging infrastructure Mission E work Tesla Porsche development ultra fast-charging infrastructure Volkswagen next generation electric vehicles Porsche Mission E Audi quattro e-tron VW latest vehicle German automaker working with other automakers manufacturers development technology work with Tesla vehicles Porsche 800-volt charging system charge Mission E battery pack to 80% 15 minutes Mission E Volkswagen next-gen EVs Porsche new charging stations ultra fast-charging infrastructure deployed installed work with other automakers facilitate rollout CEO Oliver Blume in contact other manufacturers suppliers build fast-charging network getting details agreed hard clear technical concept work with Teslas with an adapter Tesla has significant lead electric vehicle fast-charging fast charging Tesla Superchargers currently being deployed capacity 145 kW 450V at 335A vehicles can accept up to 120 kW twice the power output other electric cars currently available Porsche system 2x faster two times faster Tesla letting other automakers use its network Mission E other long-range vehicles big battery packs hit the market last year Tesla confirmed talks European automakers allow access Supercharger network Mercedes CEO Dieter Zetsche recently launched company’s new all-electric brand EQ confirmed talks Porsche charging technology /

Farming on seawater & sunshine

Australia is the driest inhabited continent.¹ Driest state in that dry continent is South Australia.²

Located at the top of the Spencer Gulf in South Australia is the city of Port Augusta. With mean annual rainfall of just 257.1mm & 65.9 mean rain days,³ it would would not normally be considered a good location to farm tomatoes.


Spencer Gulf
Credit: Wikepedia

Sundrop Farm is located near the city of Port Augusta. Tomatoes are grown in greenhouses. Energy is provided by a solar thermal power plant.


Sundrop Farm near Port Augusta, at the top of the Spencer Gulf
Credit: Sundrop farms

In the image above:

● lower left – some of the 23,000 mirrors in the Sundrop solar thermal power plant

● right, centre – central collector, at the top of the 127-metre tower, where light reflected from the mirrors is concentrated

● bottom, centre – biggest thermal energy storage tank in the southern hemisphere

● centre & right – greenhouses

Heat energy captured in the central collector (up to 39 megaWatts) is used to:
● generate electricity for a range of purposes, including pumping water
● distil fresh water from sea water
● heat/cool the greenhouses as necessary

Excess heat energy is stored in the thermal energy storage tank for use at night or on the, relatively rare, rainy days.

Thermal solar turns the principal disadvantage of Port Augusta – lack of rain – into an advantage. Fewer cloudy days means more sunlight for crop growth & the thermal solar power plant.

ABC – Sundrop Farms pioneering solar-powered greenhouse to grow food without fresh water
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-01/sundrop-farms-opens-solar-greenhouse-using-no-fresh-water/7892866

Sundrop Farms web site
http://www.sundropfarms.com/

Sundrop Farms TV
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sundrop+farms
__________

¹ “The Australian continent”, http://www.australia.gov.au/about-australia/our-country/the-australian-continent

² “South Australia Facts”, http://www.about-australia.com/south-australia-facts/

³ Port Augusta at the head of the Spencer Gulf has mean annual rainfall of 257.1mm, & 65.9 mean rain days. http://www.weatherzone.com.au/climate/station.jsp?lt=site&lc=19066

Contrast this with Sydney on the east coast of Australia, with mean annual rainfall of 1211.9mm, & 143.6 mean rain days. http://www.weatherzone.com.au/climate/station.jsp?lt=site&lc=66062

/ Sundrop Farms pioneering solar-powered greenhouse grow food without fresh water groundbreaking greenhouse sunlight seawater grow tomatoes 300 kilometres north Adelaide company Sundrop Farms developing idea pilot plant outskirts Port Augusta building commercial facility 100 times larger project head grower Adrian Simkins first for Port Augusta first in the world 20-hectare futuristic looking facility field more than 23,000 mirrors capture sunlight central receiver 127-metre power tower peak produces 39 megawatts thermal energy electricity heating water water irrigating crops piped from Spencer Gulf converted fresh water fresh-water freshwater thermal desalination unit tomato greenhouses desalinated water first-class perfect water taking salt out no disease very pure enhance nutrition plants require project Philipp Saumweber funding international agricultural projects Dutch civil engineer Reinier Wolterbeek masters degree water management grow vegies vegetables desert think smart solution turning dream commercial reality challenges Sundrop roof blow off greenhouse 45-degree Celsius day lost our entire trial crop lost team members fresh water solar-driven project relies on grid utilities power needs during winter less sunlight storage on site 10 days water heating cooling electricity problem on site rely on the grid commercial facility cost $200 million build private equity firm KKR investing $100 million Sundrop Farms 10-year contract grower secured retailer Coles longest agreement horticulture Coles head fresh produce Brad Gorman security paid volumes grow Port Augusta facility produce at least 15,000 tonnes truss tomatoes year tomatoes supermarket winter gap supply and demand Sundrop fill that gap /

Inside the world's biggest cave

Credit: John Spies/Barcroft Media/The Telegraph

So big, it has its own river, jungle & climate – ceilings 200 metres (656 feet) above, walls 150 metres (492 feet) apart – 5km (3 miles) long – that’s the Hang Son Doong cave in Vietnam. John Spies spent a week inside, & the images above & below are part of the result.


Credit: John Spies/Barcroft Media/The Telegraph

Did you notice the person in the image above? Most of the images have them.

See more at:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/earth/10914205/In-pictures-Inside-Hang-Son-Doong-the-worlds-largest-caves-in-Vietnam.html / limestone caves 200m high 150m wide 5km long Hang Son Doong cave in Vietnam so big has its own river jungle climate Australian photographer John Spies 59 spent week photographing natural wonder cave system ceilings towering over 200 metres high cave humbling experience Cave Lodge guesthouse entrance quite small mist cave caused cooler air inside meeting hot air outside rises into surrounding forest visitors must descend 80m down steep wall harnesses ropes huge temperature difference creates moving clouds mist two karst windows cave magically surreal atmosphere inside cave daylight illuminate cave formations dimensions cave incredible camp five nights biggest cave in the world /

Once-in-50-year storm blacks out South Australia – naysayers rush to attack renewables

More than 20 electricity transmission towers destroyed by SA storm
Credit: Debbie Prosser/The Advertiser

On the afternoon of Wednesday 28 September, a once-in-50-year storm, with winds up to 130kph¹ & more than 80,000 lightning strikes,² occurred in South Australia. Direct damage included more than 20 electricity transmission towers². In total, 3 items of critical distribution infrastructure were destroyed. Other items of infrastructure responded to protect themselves, as planned, by shutting down.³

Result for the residents, was a state-wide failure of electricity supply.

Coincidentally, at over 40%, SA is leading the nation in adoption of renewable energy.⁴

Just to be clear – the loss of power in SA was totally unrelated to the source or capacity of generation. Failure occurred because of the loss of critical distribution infrastructure.^5,6,7

Unfortunately, some, mainly on the conservative side of Australian politics, have seen this as an opportunity to attack renewable energy.⁸

The lights go out in SA & Turnbull flicks the switch to peak stupid
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/oct/01/the-lights-go-out-in-sa-and-turnbull-flicks-the-switch-to-peak-stupid

Coalition launches fierce attack against wind & solar after blackout
http://reneweconomy.com.au/2016/coalition-launches-fierce-attack-against-wind-and-solar-after-blackout-93841
__________

¹ ABC: “SA weather as it happened: Wild winds, flooding continue; thousands without power for second night”, “Intense low pressure system crossed South Australia on Thursday with winds gusting to 130kph”, http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-29/south-australia-recovers-from-power-outage-live-blog/7887000

² The Weekend Australian: “SA power outage: Josh Frydenberg answers your questions”, Josh Frydenberg, MP, Minister for the Environment & Energy, http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/south-australia-power-outage-why-we-need-energy-security/news-story/68020ed34622d5f7e0254d890b9c53ae

³ ABC: “SA power outage: How did it happen?”, “SA Premier Jay Weatherill confirmed two tornadoes destroyed three elements of critical infrastructure, which led to the power system protecting itself with a shutdown”, http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-28/sa-power-outage-explainer/7886090

⁴ Renew Economy: “South Australia wind energy jumps to 43% in July”, http://reneweconomy.com.au/2014/south-australia-wind-energy-jumps-to-43-in-july-88992

⁵ The Sydney Morning Herald: “Why South Australia's power blackout could happen here”, “SA’s power outage was not the result of too many solar panels or wind turbines, as suggested by our Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, but rather severe winds & lightning. In particular, several of the major transmission line towers that form the backbone of SA’s power supply were bent over like matchsticks by the extreme winds.”, http://www.smh.com.au/comment/why-south-australias-power-blackout-could-happen-here-20160929-grr7rm.html

⁶ Crikey: “South Australia's blackout explained”, https://www.crikey.com.au/2016/09/29/south-australias-blackout-explained/

‘According to [Electranet Network Services executive manager Simon] Emms, South Australia’s energy generation mix was irrelevant. “The cause of it is unrelated to the type of generation we lost & we do have,” he told ABC 891 this morning.’

‘Clean Energy Council policy manager Tom Butler told InDaily there was no evidence that South Australia’s reliance on renewable electricity was a factor in the blackout. He said that all power generation types — even if coal-fired electricity were still being produced in South Australia — would have shut down automatically during a weather event such the one experienced last night.’

‘Australian Conservation Council campaigns director Paul Sinclair concurred. “If South Australia was powered entirely by coal, rather than by 40% clean renewable energy, as it is, this blackout would still have happened,” he said. “In fact, at the time of the outage, wind power was pumping out 1000 megaWatts — it was working.”’

⁷ The Huffington Post Australia: “No, Renewable Energy Didn't Cause South Australia's Blackout”, http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2016/09/28/no-renewable-energy-didnt-cause-south-australias-blackout/

⁸ HitchHiker's Guide 2 Tech: “The bullshit asymmetry”, http://hhg2tech.blogspot.com/2016/09/the-bullshit-asymmetry.html

/ wind solar wind turbine solar panel hydro hydoelectricity hydo-electricity hydo electricity storage battery sustainable renewable energy sustainable energy sustainability lights go out SA Prime Minister Turnbull peak stupid PM ridiculed state renewable targets South Australian blackout targets meet his own emissions targets emissions promises Turnbull convince climate deniers climate sceptics political party impact on power prices electricity prices renewables keep the lights on big storm global warming climate energy debate peak stupid Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull campaign use South Australian blackout black out blackout black-out shift to clean energy state renewable energy targets extremely unrealistic all the evidence says state targets exactly what Australia needs meet promises prime minister made Paris last reducing greenhouse gases consistent national policy reach those goals former Prime Minister Tony Abbott abolition of the carbon price winding back federal renewable energy target lengthy debate abolished altogether dried up investment renewable energy consistent credible national policy officials admitted Senate inquiry undertaken no modelling how meet target Turnbull pledged Paris reducing Australia’s emissions 2030 target ratify target Australia’s legal obligation modelling analysis all conclude Liberal Party National Party Coalition current policies introduce significant new policies shift electricity generation away from coal towards renewables more quickly conclude state targets Victoria’s 40% renewables 2025 South Australia 50% by 2025 Queensland 50% by 2030 what he is going to have to try to achieve Climate Change Authority report concluded electricity generation produce zero emissions well before 2050 goal Climate Institute modelling phase out high-carbon generation next 15 to 20 years energy crunch after 2030 cause severe economic disruption Reputex report Coalition current policies reach its own targets state-based renewable energy schemes desperately needs credible consistent national policy reduce emissions power generation government shift generation fossil fuels renewables keep the lights on minimise increase power costs switch intensity-based emissions trading scheme electricity sector Labor party policy win bipartisan support policy Turnbull proposed opposition leader energy market regulator Australian Energy Market Commission operate without significant effect absolute price levels consumers government Direct Action business community current watered-down federal renewable energy target Turnbull energy minister Josh Frydenberg electricity grid better able to cope increasingly frequent bouts of extreme weather convincing climate sceptics impact on power prices renewable energy keep the lights Malcolm Roberts One Nation senator climate denier climate sceptic Galileo movement prime minister promises made Paris shift electricity generation to renewables state targets conservative wing renewable energy left wing plot economic shock ideology government putting ideology before sensible policy planning irresponsible policy vacuum /

The bullshit asymmetry

The bullshit asimmetry: the amount of energy needed to refute bullshit is an order of magnitude bigger than to produce it.

— Alberto Brandolini (@ziobrando) January 11, 2013

The unbearable asymmetry of bullshit – Brian D. Earp 2016
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/294584001_The_unbearable_asymmetry_of_bullshit

iPhone has fire too :(

Credit: iPhoneAddict

Reported on Reddit – iPhone 7 Plus delivered as shown above. Nowhere near as spectacular as some of the Samsung Note 7 fires, but not what a customer expects. Everyone who has come into contact with this phone has probably had a near miss.

More photographs:
http://imgur.com/a/LrhYz

https://www.reddit.com/r/apple/comments/54te00/running_a_little_hot/

This type of failure is fundamental to the battery chemistry used in phones & laptops, & there are easy solutions:

http://hhg2tech.blogspot.com/2016/09/samsung-galaxy-note-7-fires-cause-what.html

http://hhg2tech.blogspot.com/2016/09/samsung-galaxy-note-7-fires-continue.html / iPhone fire Apple iPhone 7 Plus iPhone 7+ exploding battery retailers Apple smartphones replacement device exploding batteries problem Apple AT&T replacement device high-end gadget launched just weeks ago battery fault phone explode catch fire smartphone return phone product smartphone leader's market share strong sales momentum Apple Inc latest iPhone exploding LiIon lithium ion battery cell lithium ion phosphate battery chemistry removeable battery /

Warning – you may be in a feudal relationship with your printer!

Credit: Ars Technica

If you have a Hewlett-Packard OfficeJet, OfficeJet Pro, or Office Jet Pro X printer, chances are, third-party ink cartridges no longer work.

Reason? HP would prefer that you buy their cartridges, rather than reasonably priced third-party alternatives.

“When you buy a device that’s designed to update itself automatically & the company reserves to itself in law the right to take away something [that device] had when you bought it, you’re really buying a device whose long-term feature set is unknowable,” says Corey Doctorow, special advisor to the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

“The people who make your microwave don’t get to tell you what kinds of frozen dinners to use,” says Doctorow. “That’s not a property relationship. That’s a feudal relationship, in which you are a tenant of these things that you’ve nominally purchased.” Credit: Wired

What can you do?

● third-party cartridges with chips designed to circumvent HP’s effort to control their customers’ property, are in the pipe-line

● don't buy HP printers

Wired:
https://www.wired.com/2016/09/hp-printer-drm/?mbid=nl_92316_p3&CNDID=

The Verge:
http://www.theverge.com/2016/9/19/12979766/hp-firmware-drm-printers-third-party-ink-cartridges

Ars Technica:
http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/09/hps-drm-sabotages-off-brand-printer-ink-cartridges-with-self-destruct-date/ / HP Hewlett-Packard DRM Ink cartridges printer and ink business revenue is down obsolescence knock-off cartridges third party third-party cartridges cheap alternative HP solution DRM OfficeJet OfficeJet Pro Office Jet Pro X printer reasonably priced third-party third party ink cartridges no longer work 123inkt Dutch sells HP-compatible cartridges HP protect HP innovations intellectual property WIRED HP customers HP security chip cartridges printers warning HP-approved HP approved last year HP implemented firmware update enterprise printers last week locked out cartridges other cartridges may not function stash third-party cartridges company that sells them tough luck device designed update itself automatically take away something device] had when you bought buying a device Corey Doctorow special advisor Electronic Frontier Foundation consumers other products imposing DRM after the fact you never really own it property relationship feudal relationship tenant nominally purchased HP HP rival Lexmark fought contentious lawsuit Static Control Components microchips circumvent Lexmark’s printer DRM court rejected Lexmark’s claim Digital Millennium Copyright Act protects underlying software security hand-off ACRA v. Lexmark patent law protected consumers sending cartridges third-party companies refill old Lexmark cartridges with cheaper ink HP’s locked-in model Gillette Fusion ProGlide razor blades /